I Don’t Believe in Ghosts, But I Make a Living by Exorcising Them! - Chapter 127
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I Don’t Believe in Ghosts, But I Make a Living Through Exorcism! Episode 127
If Siena’s heart had swelled right after returning from the festival only to feel unreal the next day, Harman was a bit different.
From the moment he returned to the Monteville Ducal Estate on the day of the festival, nothing felt real to him.
Everything seemed like a dream.
He didn’t even know how he had made it to his office.
‘….’
After sitting in a daze for quite some time, he touched his lips.
The sensation that had settled on his lips was still vivid. Only then did it slowly sink in.
Harman smiled broadly.
Had this cold office ever felt so welcoming before?
Right now, there was no one here to think his appearance strange, no ghosts either.
However.
He froze, unable to erase the smile from his lips.
Because buried memories suddenly came flooding back.
As if someone had forcibly dragged them out, telling him never to forget.
One day over ten years ago, the members of the Monteville Ducal House received the Emperor’s summons and headed to the Imperial Palace.
Only one person returned alive from there: Harman.
Whether from the shock of that day’s events, Harman couldn’t remember anything.
The Duke and Duchess were officially recorded as having died in an ‘accident.’
“While I truly feel sorry about your parents’ passing, you must overcome this much.”
Someone said that to inherit the ducal title, he couldn’t crumble over something like this.
“The high noble children I know were quite resilient at this age.”
Strangers claiming to be distant relatives of the Monteville Ducal House came visiting constantly.
The place was overflowing with people trying to steal the ducal title or embezzle money at every opportunity.
There was no one to comfort Harman, who was only 10 years old.
At some point, Harman shut himself away in the manor.
Then someone reached out to him for the first time.
“I’ll become your father.”
“….”
The cloak of the man he looked up at as if entranced was a brilliant gold.
The person who had come all the way here said he would become his father, wanting nothing in return.
Harman gladly grasped the Emperor’s hand.
He thought he had gained the strength to live again.
Until his eyes opened to seeing ghosts.
“Huu….”
Harman buried his face in his hands with his head hung low.
But in his mind, scenes he didn’t want to see kept unfolding like a panorama.
【Hello, Harman. We’ve been waiting for you to open your eyes.】
Beings floating in the air with long golden hair flowing down.
The spirits of Aldimos had appeared like that two years ago.
【The Emperor wants the Empire to rule the entire world. That’s why he needed our ability to control ghosts.】
“But why the Aldimos Kingdom….”
【There’s no need to keep everyone alive, right? Who knows when they might betray us. Though he probably never expected we’d become spirits and appear before you!】
They laughed with eerie voices and casually spoke of cruel things.
They would take the princess of Aldimos Kingdom as a hostage and marry her to a pro-Emperor duke to bear a child.
Once the child was born, they would eliminate all remaining bloodlines of the Aldimos Kingdom….
It was a story he didn’t want to believe.
Hadn’t the Emperor rescued him when he was trapped in the manor?
He was the only person he trusted, and at one time he had even wished that man could be his father.
But reality was cruel.
The Emperor had made Harman depend only on him. So that he could never betray him.
【Is that all? Your father faithfully followed the Emperor’s orders even while knowing everything.】
“….”
【Poor Harman, you knew it too, didn’t you? That your father didn’t love your mother.】
“Hah, ugh….”
Harman let out a rough breath. Cold sweat trickled down his spine.
‘Yes, the manor was always quiet.’
Father had always tried to hide Mother.
He heard that she hadn’t left the manor since right after their marriage.
When he had no choice but to go to the Imperial Palace at the Emperor’s summons, he would ask Mother not to go anywhere during that time.
He was ashamed of Mother, who had the blood of the Aldimos Kingdom flowing through her veins.
It was a fact he had vaguely known even in his childhood.
‘….’
His bloodshot eyes stared at the tightly closed door.
‘If it weren’t for the spirits, I would have lived like a puppet, manipulated by the Emperor.’
Now he had to break free from all these shackles.
His resolve lasted only briefly before his eyes shook violently.
“There was a client who had a ghost constantly attached to him, unable to do anything all day and wasting away.”
“There was also a manor where everyone was collectively possessed by ghosts. The client’s wife was so out of her mind she couldn’t even leave her room.”
What expression had Siena made when she said those words?
Had she looked wistful, or sad?
No, he didn’t want to remember.
If she found out that his blind thirst for revenge had caused people to suffer, what kind of eyes would she look at him with?
‘I wish you would never know that truth.’
And I wish you would only think of me as a kind and warm person.
Because I’ll always be that way in front of you.
Not only that, I wish you had no one but me.
Just as you’re the only person I have left.
If only that were possible, I would….
That’s when it happened.
【Harman!】
Calidis’s body passed right through the door and entered the office.
His expression was cheerfully smiling as if something good had happened. Then he looked surprised and thrust his face forward.
【What, were you crying? Why are your eyes so red?】
“…Recently you only meet me when I go directly to the greenhouse garden. Do you have something to say?”
【How boring.】
Harman showed no sign of answering at all.
Perhaps he had no intention of hearing an answer anyway, as Calidis shrugged his shoulders and gently sat on the edge of the desk.
【You said your ability would be completed soon. I was curious when you’d put it into action.】
“One week.”
【Huh?】
“Let’s end it in one week.”
Harman didn’t even hesitate.
Finding this strange, Calidis tilted his head while resting his chin on his hand.
【One week? Hmm, one week. That sounds familiar somehow…】
His words cut off abruptly.
His golden eyes began to slowly widen along with his pupils. Soon Calidis’s lips curved upward.
Snapping his fingers, Calidis quickly flew to the front of the office door.
【Perfect timing. Well then, I’ll go inform them of this important matter. Bye!】
He waved his hand casually at Harman, completely ignoring him, and disappeared.
He had left on his own again, just as he had come on his own.
The office became cold and empty once more. However, Harman paid no attention to it.
Rather, all his attention was focused on the ‘day of reckoning’ that would come in a week.
It wasn’t because he was worried about whether he could successfully complete the final plan.
The preparations were almost finished already.
The reason he had set a week’s time was simply to meet with Siena a little longer.
“….”
There were 6 days left ahead.
Harman hurriedly picked up the calendar that was placed on the desk.
His hands trembled, causing him to drop and pick up the calendar several times repeatedly.
His anxiously shaking eyes reached tomorrow’s date.
“Duke Monteville ate street food?”
“Yes. The Duke said he wanted to eat it?”
“Good heavens….”
“That’s not all? He seemed secretly envious of people passing by wearing animal ear headbands, so as soon as we found a shop, he quickly bought one and put it on me.”
“What about the Duke then?”
“Of course the Duke wore one too!”
Now I really understand.
Tea time, I know exactly why we do it!
Every word I said brought back such varied reactions.
Earlier, I was just chattering away by myself, thinking it was fortunate that at least my heart felt at ease.
Now all three of them were completely focused on my story.
Even Rudian’s mouth fell wide open at the animal ear headband story.
“It was really romantic. The Duke and I had our first there…”
Ah.
I almost mentioned that we kissed. I froze stiffly with my index finger raised.
“First?”
“First what?”
I wished they would just pretend not to hear and move on, but they all lit up their eyes and made sure to confirm it.
Well, I’d like to keep this as a secret between Harman and me.
“We also experienced the first snow of the year.”
“Aw.”
Why, what were you expecting.
Grace, who had even grabbed both my hands and leaned in, made a deflating sound and slumped back against the backrest.
‘Isn’t the first snow of the year incredibly romantic too?’
Of course, we naturally did what you all were thinking too.
But suddenly it became noisy outside the reception room.
The murmuring sounds grew louder, then hurried footsteps approached.
Knock knock- The door opened without waiting for an answer.
“Miss….”
Bella peeked out just her face with a troubled expression, looking for me. Something had definitely happened.
“What is it, what’s wrong, Bella?”
“Well, Duke Monteville has come?”
“Huh?”
Harman came?
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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